1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to information signal recording and reproducing apparatuses, and more particularly, to a video signal recording and reproducing apparatus with automatic channel and time selection capabilities.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a scrambled or subscriber television receiving system as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 06/415,836, filed Sept. 8, 1982, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,949, scrambled television program signals are transmitted on a predetermined VHF channel at a predetermined time, preferably, late at night, and are recorded on a video tape recorder. Key signals to be used for descrambling the scrambled television signals are transmitted at the end of the program of scrambled television signals. A user, thus, cannot view the television program in real time, since the key signals for descrambling the scrambled televison program signals are not transmitted until after the program ends.
For example, the scrambled television signals may be transmitted from 2:30 A.M. until 5:30 A.M. on channel 7, and for recording the scrambled television program on a conventional video tape recorder (VTR), the user must preset that time interval and channel number on the video tape recorder.
The system identifed above suffers from significant drawbacks in that the setting of the timer and channel selector are troublesome and inconvenient, particularly as such operations are usually undertaken at bedtime. Further, it is difficult to ascertain whether the timer has in fact been set to cause recording of the scrambled television signal, since the timer is also used for selecting the usual, unscrambled television program signals which are to be recorded.